A/N: I've always found that Luna's very much like an animal herself in her mannerisms and straight-forwardness. I think that's why fans love her so much. There's an unattainable quality about her, and a deeper knowledge about the people and things around her which is quite animalistic. That's why I feel George is such a great match for her. He's a bit wild himself and has a love for strange and abnormal things, but at the same time there's a gentler quality to him (at least in comparison to Fred – the evil twin whom I love so dearly lol). Anyways, that out of the way on to chapter two!

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A Hare Stopped To Wave At Me

His brother was dead and it hurt. Not like losing an ear, or losing a family friend did, or even losing a best friend or a lover. It hurt in a way that made him hate the sound of laughter and hate the bunk beds at the Burrow, and hate his reflection in the mirror.

George had entered the shop one day to find a portrait hanging behind the counter, the painted figure flirting away with the shop assistant, Verity, as if it were a perfectly normal thing to do. George had at once flown into a rage and ordered Verity to take it down immediately, at the threat of losing her job. The figure in the portrait had glowered and sworn at him, and informed that George need not take the portrait down, he would find some place else where he was wanted, and promptly stomped out of the frame. George had not seen him since the incident and the portrait had been sold the next day.

But George did not want a portrait or a photograph, or a future son named after his dead twin. They were not the real thing and it was no good pretending that they were or ever could be. George did not want to laugh or joke, or make witty, derisive comments on the stately mannerisms of Perfect Percy, and he hated that people had been waiting for months for him to do so. Well they'll be waiting much longer than that, he thought. Let them crack their own jokes for once. He had none left.

George tramped down the steep dirt path towards the place where his twin, his stupid, arrogant, idiot brother, waited for him everyday. It was close to a nearby burn where the children from the neighbouring village often came to play and laugh, and mess about like they once had. Moss and a few trails of ivy were already beginning to grow across the gravestone. As George stared he was suddenly filled with an overwhelming urge to kick it. Instead he picked up a big clod of dirt and hurled it towards the gravestone in a passionate frenzy. He picked up another and another until he was panting with the exertion. He still couldn't understand. A year had passed and George still couldn't grasp what had happened or what he was meant to do now. Was he supposed to brush it off and join everyone in their fond reminiscing of his brother's eccentricities and funny little trickster ways? It wasn't funny to him. Every joke or prank recalled was a horrible reminder that his twin had once smiled, once laughed, once loved, and would never do so again.

After a time, George knelt beside the grave and brushed some of the mud away. "You stupid git," he said quietly. "You great, big, stupid, fat-headed git." George picked at the moss there, feeling dazed and confused. "What do I do now?"

Almost as in answer, he heard a soft rustling through the grass and a hare hopped out from behind the gravestone. It stopped with a jerk and stared at him, seemingly just as surprised to see George as George was to see it.

Deciding that George wasn't a threat, the hare hopped a bit closer then sat and tilted his head to the side, and gazed at him with its large, pale eyes. It took George another moment to realise that the hare was a Patronus charm, and he wondered why on earth he hadn't noticed straight away.

"Cheeky bugger," he commented at length. The Patronus hare's watchful gaze left a peculiar feeling in his heart; being so close to a creature whose subtle understanding and easy familiarity allowed it to see George clearer than anyone else helped just a bit.

He looked around to find its owner and to his great surprise saw strange little Luna Lovegood standing on top of a hill, looking down at him with her own large, pale eyes. There was none of that awkward pity in her gaze that made George want to tear his hair out and shout and swear at the onlooker. Luna's eyes were simply full of knowing and love, and an understanding that no one else in the world could fathom.

Without really understanding why, George lifted a hand to wave at her. She tilted her head, watching him for a moment longer with her great big, curious eyes, and then tentatively, she waved back. It occurred to George that Luna was far more animal than witch in all her contradictive innocent naivety and marvellous understanding. The notion struck a chord in George and he began to laugh.

And he laughed and laughed, and kept on laughing until tears began to stream down his cheeks, while Luna watched him from her hill.

The next day, George opened up Weasley's Wizard Wheezes to find a large package on the counter addressed to him from one Luna Lovegood. Feeling giddy, George quickly tore the brown wrapping paper off it, but he already knew what lay inside.

He turned the picture frame around and lifted it against the wall. A red-haired, freckle faced man poked his head into the frame, grinning cockily.

"Glad to see you, Georgie," said Fred.

George returned his grin in kind. "Glad to see you too, Fred."

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Hope you enjoyed it. Now comes the question: should I continue, or should I leave it there?

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.